Knotted fabric headwear

ABSTRACT

The disclosed invention encompasses embodiments of strap-free, adjustable headwear made of fabric that can be knotted, or gathered into sections that are then knotted by other materials, to fit the headwear to the head of a wearer. The invention further encompasses methods for making the headwear.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/762,966, entitled “Knotted fabric headwear,” by Natalia Gurushina and Sergey Shneyerson, filed Jan. 27, 2006 (Attorney Docket No. SHNEY-01002US0).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to fit-adjustable headwear made of fabric, and in particular, to a fabric head covering that is adapted to be adjusted to fit a wearer's head with at least one knot in the fabric. The headwear can be used by adults and is particularly well-suited for children's needs.

BACKGROUND

Headwear is used in fashion and for practical purposes. One such practical purpose is to protect a wearer from cold temperatures in cold climates and to a certain extent from rain and/or snow. Another purpose is to protect a wearer from sun exposure. In that regard, lighter colors in headwear have been used at times to supplement protection from the sun, by not only blocking sun rays as any material would do, but also by reflecting light away from the wearer's head. Small children and infants in particular need headwear to protect them from the elements, i.e., an article to protect their heads, neck, and/or faces from sunburn and/or cold temperatures, and head wear that will stay on their heads with minimal discomfort. A breathable fabric may be preferred where possible to avoid causing perspiration and/or itching.

Traditional headwear sits on a wearer's head and remains in place, for example either by a snug fit or with the use of straps. A disadvantage of relying on a traditional, single fit is that infants and children grow rapidly, and headwear that fits in one instance may not fit at all a short time later. One solution is to replace the headwear frequently, but this solution is not economical. Moreover, a child may grow fond of a particular article of headwear, desiring to keep it rather than replace it. A further disadvantage of relying upon a particular hat's fit is that toddlers are active, and infants squirm, which can dislodge the headwear and result in its displacement, where it cannot protect the child, and/or permanent loss of the headwear. Infants and children themselves may be incapable of readjusting their headwear to fit better if it shifts or falls. As a result, a child may go without head protection, and an accompanying adult may be inconvenienced by the need constantly to readjust the headwear, or put it back on the child.

A further disadvantage pertains to the use of straps. Straps that fasten around a child's chin or around the head may cause the child discomfort, resulting in the child's rejection of the headwear. Likewise, straps with buckles, snaps, or other hardware may dig into the wearer's skin and cause discomfort and/or irritation. A child may refuse to wear it, outright, or may remove it and even discard it, to the chagrin of child's parent or other caretaker. Further, straps may be prone to breakage from wear and tear. Moreover, standard size straps often do not fit a child's chin. The result is that the child will have not protection from the cold, sun, and/or precipitation.

From the foregoing, it is clear that a need exists for adjustable headwear for children that fits with child-appropriate styles, remains in place, accommodates a child's growth, and comfortably protects the child from the elements in general, in particular, cold temperatures, the sun's rays, and/or rain and snow while, where possible, providing breathability to minimize perspiration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of a strapless head covering that is adapted to protect a wearer from the elements, for example, sun exposure, cold, and/or moisture; to resist displacement on the wearer's head; to provide a fashionable option for head covering; and where appropriate, to provide a breathable article of clothing to avoid discomfort including perspiration and itching, etc.

Specifically, the present disclosure pertains to a head covering made of a material of a size sufficient to cover the wearer's head. Sections of the material can be configured into knotted sections and/or tied-off sections. The knots can be integral to the material of the head covering, or they can be tied with separate materials that are not integral to the head covering around gathered sections of the material. The knotted and/or tied sections are not made into straps about the wearer's head. Rather, the knots and/or ties are adapted to adjust and fit the head covering to the wearer's head. By way of example only, the knots and/or ties can be configured snug against the wearer's scalp for a tighter fit, or more distal to the wearer's scalp for a looser fit. The number of knots and/or ties can be varied for a tighter or looser fit, and/or to create a different desired style, as desired. The placement of at least one knot and/or other tie is adapted to adjust the headwear to resist displacement on the wearer's head. A knot or tie, or plurality of knots or ties, further can be made in the material to suit a fashion purpose in addition to providing a way to adjust the head covering to the wearer's head. The headwear of the present invention also can be knotted and/or tied in ways that configure the head covering to protect the wearer's head, neck, and face from the elements, for example by having the knots act as flaps, or by actually creating fabric flaps. Rather than simply having knots and/or ties, additional protection for the forehead and/or face and the back of the neck and/or shoulders can be created by providing fabric flaps and/or other elements integrated with the knotted headwear. For example, the material can be cut or configured to create a flap over a wearer's forehead, ears, and/or back of the neck to protect the wearer's eyes, skin, and ears from the sun, wind, and other elements.

The present disclosure further encompasses a method for making the claimed headwear.

The present disclosure is not intended to limit the material used in making the present invention to a particular type of material. In fact, the material can be any material, including breathable material, either alone or in combination with a water-resistant or waterproof material, or a water-resistant or waterproof material alone. The material may also be lined with an insulating material, such as Thinsulate® and the like. The material can be of any color. Lighter colors may be more useful where sun protection is an objective of the headgear. The material can be a print, a solid, embroidered, or otherwise decorated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a head-on view of an embodiment of the headwear of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of an embodiment of the headwear of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a back-view of an embodiment of the headwear of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 4A depicts back view of an alternative embodiment of the headwear of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 4B depicts a further back view of an alternative embodiment of the headwear of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the headwear of the disclosed invention.

FIG. 6 provides a profile view of a further embodiment of the headwear of the invention.

FIG. 7 depicts a further embodiment of the headwear of the invention.

FIG. 8 sets forth a flowchart depicting an embodiment of a method of preparing the headwear of the disclosed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a head-on view, FIG. 2 shows a side or profile view, and FIG. 3 shows a back view of an embodiment 100 of the headwear of the disclosed invention, as situated on a wearer's head. In particular, embodiment 100 shows a geometric shape of fabric 110, which has been tied so that there are two knots 120, which are situated with a first knot 120 substantially on a first side of a wearer's face and a second knot 120 substantially on a second side of the wearer's face. The tails 130 of the knots 120 hang down the first and second sides of the wearer's face. The knots 120 serve to adjust the fit and/or size of the headwear embodiment 100 to the wearer's head. The rest of the fabric 110 covers the top of the head and the back of the head of the wearer. Depending upon the shape or arrangement of the fabric 110, and the number and location of the knots 120, the knots 120 of the fabric 110 can be arranged so that the back portion 340 of the fabric 310 can hang like or flap to cover the wearer's neck, for example as protection from sun exposure or cold temperatures. (See FIG. 4B).

The knots 120 of embodiment 100 can be situated toward the side of the wearer's head, or closer together (FIG. 5), so that the knots 120 are more toward the forehead of the wearer's face. Embodiment 100 further contemplates that the two knots 120 can be situated wherever is convenient to tie them so that they are to the wearer's preference, perhaps out of the line of vision of the wearer, for example, higher on the head, etc.

For each embodiment described herein above and below, the fabric must be of a size that is sufficiently large both to cover a wearer's head and to gather the fabric into sections for knotting, or for tying with other materials, as disclosed below. That is to say that the fabric will be sufficient to cover at least (1) the back of the head down to the bottoms of the wearer's ears, and (2) the top and sides of the wearer's head down to the tops of the wearer's ears, while having sufficient fabric to gather and tie, and/or knot. It can also be constructed to cover the back of the neck and/or extend forward to cover the forehead and face from sunlight. In one embodiment, by way of example only, the fabric can be of square shape, approximately 18.5 inches by 18.5 inches. However, the size may be larger or smaller, and the shape may be other than a square. In fact, the shape may even be irregular, i.e., other than regular geometric shapes, so that more or fewer knots and/or ties and/or flaps may be configured.

Other embodiments, with different quantities and locations of knots, further are contemplated by the present disclosure. FIG. 4A, by way of example, depicts an embodiment 200 with a single knot 220. The single knot 220 in embodiment 200 can be tied so that it is situated in the back of the wearer's head. The front (not shown) of the fabric 210 is smooth across the wearer's forehead and all around the wearer's head. However, this invention also contemplates that a single knot can be tied anywhere in the fabric so that the knot 220 is situated at any location on the wearer's head, such as on top of the wearer's head.

In a further embodiment 400, shown in FIG. 6, three knots 420 are arranged, with two knots 420 in the front by a wearer's face, and a third knot 420 in the back of the wearer's head. It is to be understood that the knots 120, 220, 320, 420 of each of embodiments 100, 200, 300, and 400 and any further embodiments discussed, can be placed wherever the wearer chooses to place them so that they are not bothersome to the wearer and/or so that they are aesthetically pleasing to the wearer or person arranging the knots. Further, the present disclosure is not intended to limit the number of knots; any number that allows proper adjustment is contemplated by the present disclosure.

In a further embodiment 500 (FIG. 7), rather than tying a knot or plurality of knots in the fabric 510 itself, similarly-functional knot or knots can be made by gathering sections 530 of the fabric 510 and securing the sections 530 with other materials 560, such as yarn, string, ribbon, cloth, clips and the like. As with embodiments 100, 200, 300, and 400 described above, any number of gathered sections 530 can be used to achieve a desired fit and/or style for the wearer. Further, the fit can be adjusted by modifying how the section 530 or sections 530 are tied with the material or materials 560. Tying the sections 530 with the other materials 560 wherein the materials are situated as close to the wearer's head as possible may achieve a more snug fit, while placing the other materials 560 further distal to the wearer's head on a section or sections 530 may achieve a looser fit. This embodiment 500 of the invention contemplates that any other embodiment, such as the ones described above, can use the other materials 560 to secure sections of material rather than using a knot or knots.

The fabric in all of the above embodiments and for any embodiment can be any fabric, including cotton or a blend thereof, wool or blend thereof, synthetic fabrics or blends thereof, and other fabrics, which may depend upon the intended use of the headwear. For example, if an intended use is for protection from cool or cold temperatures, a fabric of heavier cotton or of wool may be preferred or, alternatively, any choice of fabric can be lined with an insulating lining, so long as the sections or knots can be made in the material. If an intended use is protection from the sun and/or sweat in warmer temperatures, then a cotton or light cotton fabric may be preferred, so that the fabric is breathable in nature for the wearer's physical comfort. As a further example, if the intended use is protection from outside moisture, a fabric with a water-resistant quality may be used as at least part of the headwear, for example, the fabric can be entirely water-proof or water-resistant, or can be lined entirely or in part with a water-proof or water-resistant material, such as oil cloth.

The fabric further can be decorated with other objects, as with embroidery, decorative patches, patchwork, rhinestones, decorative ink, sewn-on or tacked-on objects, and the like.

As noted above, the fabric can be cut into any shape, so long as it is possible to put knots in the fabric, or to gather the fabric into sections that can be tied with the other materials noted above. Such other materials include, but are not limited to, yarn, string, ribbon, clips, other scraps of cloth, and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a method 600 of making the present invention is described. According to a method of the invention, a first step is shaping a piece of fabric, of sufficient size to cover a wearer's head, into a shape that will allow knots to be tied in the fabric or, alternatively, that will allow sections of the fabric to be gathered for tying with other materials 610 that are not integral to the material itself, as indicated above. As with the embodiments relating to the headwear itself, the fabric must be of sufficient size and shape so that it can be knotted and/or tied, and still cover the wearer's head so that it at least covers part of the forehead and the back of the head of the wearer. It may also be desirable to select a size and shape 620 that will allow flaps to be configured to protect at least one of the wearer's ears, neck, and forehead.

Also as disclosed above, the type of fabric can vary with the intended use, but need not. However, the fabric is contemplated to be capable of knotting or of being gathered into sections that can be tied by the other materials. As noted above, the other materials can be yarn, string, ribbon, clips, sections of fabric the same as or different from the fabric used for the headwear, and the like. The step of making the fabric into a shape can include cutting and finishing the edges of the fabric, as by sewing, gluing, and the like. In an embodiment, the shape can be a square or rectangle. Other embodiments may include other geometric shapes. However, the shape further can be an irregular shape where flaps of fabric are created for knotting or for leaving sections for tying with the other materials.

In an embodiment of the method where the method includes a step 610 of shaping the material so that it can be gathered and tied, rather than integrally knotted, the method further includes the step 630 of providing other materials that are not integral to the headwear material. These other materials are adapted for tying the gathered sections of headwear material, rather than making an integral knot of the headwear material. These other materials can include, for example, yarn, string, ribbon, string, scraps of fabric, and the like.

The method of the invention further can include a step of decorating the fabric can be included 640. This step 640 can occur at any stage, that is, before the shaping steps 610, 620 or after; or before the providing step 630 or after. The decorating step 640 can include embroidery, use of decorative patches, patchwork, rhinestones, decorative ink, sewn-on or tacked-on objects, and the like.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims and their equivalents. 

1. A strap-free, adjustable headwear made of fabric, the headwear comprising: a piece of fabric of sufficient size to cover a wearer's head; and at least one tied section of the fabric, wherein the at least one tied section is adjustable to fit the strap-free, adjustable headwear to the wearer's head.
 2. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1, wherein the at least one tied section of the fabric is knotted integrally, close to the wearer's head for a snug fit.
 3. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1, wherein the at least one tied section of the fabric is at least one gathered section tied with a material that is not integral with the fabric.
 4. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 3 wherein the other material is at least one of yarn, ribbon, string, clips, pieces of the fabric, or pieces of a different fabric.
 5. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1, further comprising the at least one tied section of the fabric is two knotted sections.
 6. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 5 wherein the two knotted sections are situated substantially at opposite sides of the wearer's head.
 7. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 5 wherein the two knotted sections are situated substantially at the center of the wearer's forehead.
 8. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1, further comprising the at least one tied section of the fabric is one knotted section situated substantially at the back of the wearer's head.
 9. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 3, further comprising two gathered, tied sections situated substantially at opposite sides of the wearer's head.
 10. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 3, further comprising two gathered, tied sections situated substantially at the center of the wearer's forehead.
 11. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 3, wherein the gathered, tied section is situated substantially at the back of the wearer's head.
 12. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1 wherein the fabric is water-resistant and waterproof.
 13. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1 wherein the fabric is lined with a lining for at least one of warmth and water-resistance.
 14. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1 wherein the fabric is decorated with at least one of rhinestones, embroidery, patches, patchwork, decorated ink, sewn-on objects, and tacked-on objects.
 15. The strap-free, adjustable headwear as in claim 1 wherein the headwear further comprises at least one flap to protect at least one of the neck, face, and ears.
 16. A strap-free, adjustable headwear comprising: a fabric of sufficient size to cover a wearer's head; at least one tied section of the fabric, wherein the at least one tied section is adjustable to fit the strap-free, adjustable headwear to the wearer's head; and at least one flap of the fabric situated so that it protects at least one of the face, neck, and ears of the wearer.
 17. A strap-free, adjustable headwear comprising: a fabric of sufficient size to cover a wearer's head; and at least one gathered section of the fabric secured with a material not integral with the fabric, wherein the secured, gathered section of fabric is adapted to adjust the fabric to fit the wearer's head.
 18. A strap-free, adjustable headwear comprising: A fabric of sufficient size to cover a wearer's head; and At least one knotted section of the fabric, wherein the at least one knotted section of the fabric is knotted close to the wearer's head to secure the fabric to the wearer's head.
 19. A method of making a strap-free, adjustable headwear, the method comprising: shaping a piece of fabric of sufficient size to cover a wearer's head so that at least one knot can be tied in the fabric wherein the knot is adapted to adjust the fit of the headwear to a wearer's head.
 20. A method of making a strap-free, adjustable headwear, the method comprising: shaping a piece of fabric of sufficient size to cover a wearer's head so that at least one section of the fabric can be gathered and tied to adjust the fabric to fit the wearer's head; and providing a material that is not integral with the fabric, said material adapted to use for tying the at least one gathered section to adjust the headwear to the wearer's head.
 21. The method as in claim 19 wherein the shaping step further comprises shaping the piece of fabric so that the piece of fabric can be configured to include at least one flap in the material, said flap adapted to protect at least one of the wearer's face, ears, and neck.
 22. The method as in claim 20 wherein the shaping step further comprises shaping the piece of fabric so that the piece of fabric can be configured to include at least one flap in the material, said flap adapted to protect at least one of the wearer's face, ears, and neck.
 23. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of decorating the piece of fabric, wherein the decorating step can occur in any order with the other steps.
 24. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of decorating the piece of fabric, wherein the decorating step can occur in any order with the other steps. 